22. sEPorHiIs.—23, CHALCIDOSERS. 423 
22. SEPOPHIS. 
Sepsophis, Beddome, Madras Journ. Med. Sc. 1870, 
Palatine bones not meeting on the median line of the palate, 
which is toothless. Teeth conical. Eye small ; lower eyelid scaly. 
Ear-opening distinct, minute. Nostril pierced between the rostral, 
the first labial, and a supranasal; two frontals; no preefrontals ; 
frontoparietals present. Body much elongate; limbs absent. 
Southern India. 
1. Sepophis punctatus. (Prate XXVII. fig. 2.) 
Sepsophis punctatus, Bedd. 1. ¢. 
Snout obtuse, scarcely projecting beyond the labial margin; 
supranasals forming a median suture and in contact with the first and 
second upper labials; four agygos shields on the upper surface of 
the head, first three broader than long, first (the frontonasal) largest, 
second a little smaller than third, fourth smallest ; four supraoculars, 
first and second in contact with the first frontal ; six supraciliaries ; 
frontoparietals separated; parietals narrow; fourth upper labial 
entering the orbit. 20 scales round the middle of the body. Pre- 
anals scarcely enlarged. Tail as long as head and body. Cream- 
coloured, sides blackish brown; two series of dark brown spots or 
dots along the back. 
From snout to vent 110 millim. 
Southern India. 
a, Ad. Golconda hills. Col. Beddome [C.]. 
F (Type.) 
a Ad. &hgr. Gorge hills, Godavery, 2000 ft. Col. Beddome [C.]. 
23. CHALCIDOSEPS. 
Palatine bones not meeting on the median line of the palate, 
which is toothless. Teeth conical. Eye small; lower eyelid scaly. 
Ear-opening distinct, minute. Nostril pierced in the rostral, close 
to the posterior border; no supranasals; prefrontals and fronto- 
parietals absent. Body much elongate ; limbs very short, tetradactyle. 
Ceylon. 
1. Chalcidoseps thwaitesii. (Prarzs XXVIII. fig. 1.) 
Nessia thwaitesii, Giinth. Ann. § Mag. N. H. (4) ix. 1872, p. 86. 
Snout obtuse, scarcely projecting beyond the labial margin ; fronto- 
nasal broader than long, broader than and about half as long as 
the frontal; latter longer than broad, angularly emarginate on each 
side by the first supraccular; five supraoculars; seven supraciliaries ; 
interparietal triangular, narrower than and half as long as the 
frontal; parietals forming a suture behind the interparietal: a pair 
of nuchals and a pair of temporals border the parietals; second 
upper labial largest, third entering the orbit. 24 scales round the 
